CAN 2022: the deadly stampede of Olembe due to the “reckless” opening of the stadium door
The entrance to the Olembe stadium where eight people lost their lives in a stampede on January 24, 2022. Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD AFP / File
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Cameroonian Minister of Sports Narcisse Mouelle Kombi returned this Friday to the tragedy which claimed the lives of eight people on Monday January 24 at the Olembe stadium.
He pointed to the "
reckless
" opening of a door by the security forces " in the
face of a human tide
".
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The stampede that killed eight people on Monday January 24 in Yaoundé before the African Cup of Nations match between Cameroon and the Comoros is due to the "
reckless
" opening of a door by the security forces " in the
face of a human tide,
” Cameroonian Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said on Friday.
“
This entrance was temporarily closed by the police in the face of the surge of spectators while other doors were operational
,” assured Narcisse Mouelle Kombi to the press.
“
Faced with the pressure and overwhelmed by this human tide, the security elements proceeded recklessly to open the southern entrance, causing a great scramble
” which ended in tragedy, he continued.
“ Insufficient
”
security forces
The minister also acknowledged that the number of members of the security forces was "
insufficient
".
But he also blamed the holders of counterfeit and used tickets and the supporters who wanted to enter without a ticket, to justify this influx in front of the South door.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, which also left 38 injured, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAN) Patrice Motsepe announced the move of the quarter-final scheduled for Sunday from the Olembé stadium to the second stadium in the capital, Ahmadou Ahidjo .
He also announced that CAF would not allow other matches to be played there if the Cameroonian authorities did not present him with an investigation report before Friday.
Patrice Motsepe
had already indicated on Tuesday that the jostling was linked to the closing of one of the access gates to the stadium.
He had deemed
this decision “
inexplicable ”.
“
If that door had been opened the way it should have been, we wouldn't have had the problem we have now, these loss of life.
Who closed this door?
Who is responsible for this door?
“, he had hammered in front of the press.
►Also read: CAN 2022: Motsepe demands explanations after the deadly stampede at the Olembé stadium
(
With
AFP)
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